Behind the Lines returns to Old Treasury Building with sharp focus on political year

One of Australia’s longest running and most beloved political cartoon exhibitions is returning to Melbourne, with the Old Treasury Building set to host Behind the Lines 2025: Are We Rolling? from March 2 to May 3.

Now in its 30th year, Behind the Lines brings together 45 of the nation’s leading political cartoonists to capture the twists, turns and turbulence of the past year in Australian politics. Using humour, satire and sharp critique, the exhibition offers a snapshot of 2025 through the lens of some of the country’s most incisive visual commentators.

Staged annually by the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House in Canberra, the exhibition has become a cultural fixture, touring nationally and drawing thousands of visitors. Its Melbourne showing at the Old Treasury Building continues that tradition, offering free access to a curated collection of the year’s most striking political cartoons.

This year’s theme, Are We Rolling?, draws inspiration from the language and spectacle of cinema. The exhibition uses the tropes of moviemaking to frame the drama of contemporary politics, both at home and abroad. From comedy and tragedy to suspense and unexpected plot twists, the cartoons on display mirror the emotional highs and lows of the political stage.

According to the organisers, the works create a time capsule of the political year, presenting multiple viewpoints side by side. The exhibition’s strength lies in this multiplicity, encouraging audiences to engage with differing – and at times conflicting – interpretations of the events and personalities that shaped 2025.

As one of the longest-running annual exhibitions in Australia, Behind the Lines has become a place where art meets critique and politics meets humour. Over three decades, it has established itself as a forum for reflection, providing Australians with an opportunity to look back on the year that was with both laughter and insight.

The Melbourne exhibition is supported by the National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach Program, an Australian Government initiative designed to improve access to the national collections for communities across the country.

Set within the historic surrounds of the Old Treasury Building on Spring St, the exhibition offers visitors a chance to experience contemporary political commentary within one of the city’s most significant heritage spaces.

Behind the Lines 2025: Are We Rolling? runs from March 2 to May 3, with free entry. •